This kitchen was updated while bringing in our client’s love for France. We decided the best approach was an updated French feel while modernizing the kitchen with a new layout and sophisticated finishes. New GE Café appliances, granite countertops and custom cabinetry round out this inviting kitchen. Another twist: Moroccan pendant lights to add a touch of glamour to the otherwise neutral room. Harvey Smith Photography

Countertop Wood: Walnut with Sapwood Construction Style: End Grain Countertop Thickness: 2 3/4" thick Size: 22" x 45" Countertop Edge Profile: 1/8” Roundover on top horizontal edges, bottom horizontal edges, and vertical corners Wood Countertop Finish: Grothouse Original Oil™ Wood Stain: Natural Wood – No Stain Designer: Stonington Cabinetry & Designs

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by John Sutton Photography.

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by John Sutton Photography.

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Built by Exact Builders, landscape design by Shades Of Green, photos by John Sutton Photography & Philip Liang Photography.

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by John Sutton Photography.

It’s warm in Southern California, and that’s exactly the feeling Andy and Liz sought to maintain inside their new Tuscan-style home as they embarked on a modern interior makeover. After all, the couple had two small children and a dog to consider. Empty and austere simply wasn’t a good fit for the young family whose interests include photography, art and lots of Lego’s. Andy, an engineer, became intrigued with Cantoni after driving past the Irvine location on his daily commute. It wasn’t long before he and Liz decided to venture into the Los Angeles showroom, and that’s where they met Bernadette. By all accounts, the trio made for great collaboration, and the project that began in February 2012 is still a work in progress today. “We were impressed by Bernadette,” says Andy. “We liked her and her work, and she won us over.” The project began with pictures sent and an in-home walk-through where measurements were taken. The couple knew they wanted furnishings for the living, dining and family rooms, as well as the media room and a study. They were open to art and accent pieces, and hoped to incorporate natural elements into the mix. Bernadette set to work. “It was fun touring our LA showroom and listening to Liz and Andy discuss their likes and dislikes. One thing was for sure,” she adds, “the Laguna Sectional was going in their theater room even if we needed to knock out a wall!” UpstairsPhase I of the job is complete (as you can see from the stunning images), but instead of parting ways, Andy and Liz decided to have Bernadette help re-imagine the master bedroom and kitchen, next. The ongoing nature of this project illustrates a trend we see with most of our clients: we build trusted, long-term relationships. It’s not about the transaction, but about great design, the design process, and the ability of our talented staff to help clients create the lifestyles they want. As always, there’s plenty to love about the products seen in our feature stories. To help you shop the look, we’re introducing a Featured Products page via a link to the images in each story. We’ve also redesigned our site to make sourcing and finding that just-right piece a breeze.

Photo: Faith Towers © 2016 Houzz
Country porch idea in Boston

Example of a backyard stamped concrete patio kitchen design in Boston

Patio - rustic patio idea in Detroit

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by John Sutton Photography.

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by John Sutton Photography.

Committing to a kosher kitchen is quite a daunting undertaking and when you are also taking on a complete remodel, it can be overwhelming. It does not, however, have to be insurmountable. There are many resources to help guide you through the experience. Check out the internet and magazines to guide you. Once you have done the initial research, contact your Rabi with questions and for clarification on a kosher kitchen. Kosher requirements can vary differently between Orthodox, Conservatism, Ultra Orthodox and Reform Judaism. Your Rabi most likely will have a list of rules and guidelines. Also, hire a professional kitchen designer. They will not only be able to design the needs of a kosher kitchen but also make it personal to your needs and beautiful too. If the space and the budget allow, two distinct kitchens within one space is a possibility. A kosher kitchen requires stringent separation of meat and dairy items. Depending on the sect of Judaism you practice ------ Storage: The Storage areas need space for two sets of dishes, pots and pans, flatware, cups and utensils. You can combine the storage areas as long as there is a separation and that you do not mix service ware. A good recommendation is to color code your plates, flatware, table linen, pots. For example, red plates, gold-colored flatware, copper pots for meat items while dairy items have white plates, stainless flatware, stainless pots. You may want to label each area so when you have your new sister-in-law help in the kitchen; everything stays in the correct place. Appliances: When selecting appliances look for the STAR-K logo. This will help you determine to what extent an appliance is Kosher. Some ovens will have Sabbath modes where they will turn on automatically at a predetermined time. Once the oven is open, the oven turns off. Some refrigerators also have Sabbath modes where the ice maker turns off on the Sabbath and back on the following day. One refrigerator is usually sufficient provided all foods stay on the proper container in the proper section of the refrigerator. Having an immaculately clean refrigerator is a must if this is the case. You do not want spills from one food source contaminating food from the other. If you decide on two refrigerators, one can be full size while the other is smaller. A good kitchen designer can help assess your family’s needs to determine which is best for you. Dishwashers cannot be Kosher in most cases. You either need two dishwashers, separate compartment dishwashers as in dishwasher drawers or wash by hand. Look at Fisher Pikel or Kitchen Aid for dishwasher drawers. Each drawer is on separate controls. You can dedicate the top drawer for dairy while the bottom drawer is for meat service ware. If you have space and decide to have two dishwashers, you can get two 24” wide dishwashers. Another option is to have one full size dishwasher and supplement it with a small 18” wide dishwasher. Miele makes an 18” wide dishwasher that is super quiet and cleans dishes very well. You may also opt for a single dishwasher drawer in addition to a full sized dishwasher. A single Microwave oven can be used for milk and meat provided that a complete cover is used around the food. You will also need separate plastic plate’s places on the bottom or glass turn table. Keeping the unit clean is very important. Counter tops: Counter tops may or may not be able to be koshered depending on your sect. Simply having sets of trivets for dairy, meat and pareve (not meat or dairy) will provide adequate separation of foods. Sinks: If you can’t have two separate sinks, include three separate tubs to be places in the sink. Color code the tubs for meat, dairy and pareve. If you have one sink or a single divided sink, you will need to be cautious about splashing, to keep the meat and dairy particulates apart. You will also need space for separate dish cloths or sponges and dish towels. Again, color coding is extremely helpful and highly suggested. Must Haves: ~Storage space for two sets of dishes, flatware, pans bowls ~Color Code and label where appropriate ~Separate burners dedicate for either meat or dairy ~Separate clean up areas ~Clean environment to avoid contamination between meat and dairy ~A space that functions for how you cook ~A space that reflects you Design and remodel by Design Studio West Brady Architectural Photography

The kitchen isn't the only room worthy of delicious design... and so when these clients saw THEIR personal style come to life in the kitchen, they decided to go all in and put the Maine Coast construction team in charge of building out their vision for the home in its entirety. Talent at its best -- with tastes of this client, we simply had the privilege of doing the easy part -- building their dream home!

Photos by Erika Bierman www.erikabiermanphotography.com
Mid-sized transitional formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room photo in Los Angeles with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Inspiration for a transitional u-shaped light wood floor kitchen remodel in Portland with shaker cabinets, blue cabinets, quartzite countertops, porcelain backsplash and a peninsula

Antique Barnwood Siding is one of the most popular rustic siding options available. It is available in random or specific widths and various colors and textures. Available Configurations: Board-and-Bat, Board-on-Board, Board-to-Board, Shiplap, Wedgelap. We sort our Antique Barnwood into three general categories: Gray Rough, Brown Rough and Smooth Brown/Gray (heavier to browns). You are, of course, welcome to mix and match any of the colors/textures for your particular application.

Eclectic, collected transitional Christmas style. Photo ledge card wall Photo www.UniqueExposurePhotography.com @LanceUEP
Kitchen - transitional kitchen idea in Dallas

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by John Sutton Photography.